Boot and shoe



June 4 c. B. HARRIS I 2,244,338

BOOT AND SHOE Filed Oct. 18, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 CHARLES B. HAQRIS INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

June 10, 1941. HARRIS 2,244,838

Boo'r AND SHOE Filed Oct. 18, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 flq- 5- 14 v \ITX I} 7 x 1; 4

CHAR]. ES 8; HA RIP/6' INV EM OR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented June 10, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOOT AND SHOE- Charles B. Harris, Jamaica, N. Y.

Application October 18, 1939, Serial No. 300,022

2 Claims.

This invention relates generally to improvements in the sole and heel portions of slippers, boots and shoes wherein means are provided to prolong the life of the wearing surfaces at the points of greatest wear.

The main object of the invention resides in the fabrication of slippers, boots and shoes provided with means for prolonging the life of the soles and heels thereof at the points of greatest wear.

Another object of the invention resides in a method of manufacturing such slippers, boots and shoes wherein standard equipment is employed in the manufacturing process.

A further object of the invention resides in the alteration and modification of the standard sole and heel portions of slippers, boots and shoes before attachment to render said slippers, boots and shoes more durable and to afford orthopedic advantages to wearers suffering from weakened anterior metatarsal arches.

These objects and other incidental ends and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear in the progress of the disclosure and as pointed out in the appended claims.

Accompanying this specification are drawings showing preferred forms of the invention wherein corresponding reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views and wherein:

Figure '1 is a view in elevation showing a specimen of footwear equipped with a modified outer sole and heel embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the specimen shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary View of the outer sole in section showing the toe portion slitted and provided with resistant plugs in the lower slitted portion.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary and sectional view of Figure 2 along the plane 4-4 thereof.

Figure 5 is a sectional view of Figure 2 along the plane 5- -5 thereof showing the outer sole, the welt and the filler members.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 showing differently sized resistant plugs.

Figure 7 is a sectional view of a rubber heel modified to receive resistant plugs.

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 5 showing a conventional outer sole worn and depressed by a wearer suffering from a weak anterior metatarsal arch.

In accordance with the invention and the preferred forms shown, numeral l0 indicates a specimen of footwear comprised of an outer sole l I, a heel generally designated by numeral l2, a welt I3 secured to the upper by stitching 2|, a. filler l4 and an inner sole l5. Although outer sole II is shown applied to footwear in the form of a shoe, it is understood, however, that the sole II is applicable generally to all other types of footwear including mens, womens and childrens slippers and boots and including footwear having turned soles, cemented soles, footwear known as stitched down soles and footwear constructed in accordance with the McKay and Delmac processes.

As shown in the drawings, outer sole I I is specifically modified before being secured either to the welt l3 or to the upper of a slipper, boot or shoe manufactured in anyknown conventional way such as footwear having turned soles, footwear known as stitched down soles and footwear constructed according to the McKay or Delmac processes. Thus, outer sole H adjacent the periphery of the toe portion is provided with a plurality of plugs I9 which are adapted to prolong the life of the leather, rubber or composition of the sole at this area. Furthermore, a plurality of plugs 22 are secured to the sole portion of the shoe adjacent the position of the anterior metatarsal arch of the wearer. It is well known that in the wearing of slippers, boots and shoes, toe and heel portions are exposed to the greatest wear. Furthermore, in the case of those people suffering from weak anterior metatarsal arches, the soles are worn across the ball of the foot due to the pressure of the metatarsal bones. Where the sole is thus worn through across the ball of the foot, a depression develops from the inner sole downwardly thereby giving less support to the anterior metatarsal arch. By the utilization of resistant plugs 22, a constant level on the bottom of the sole across the ball of the foot is sustained, thereby preventing further depression of the metatarsal bones in the case of those wearas suffering from weak metatarsal arches.

In order to provide sole II with plugs H! at the toe portion, the sole itself is modified so that it may be stitched or secured to welt l3 or to the upper of the slipper, boot or shoe whereby the stitching needle does not contact any of the plugs l9 during the stitching operation. This same modification is made whether the sole II is stitched to the upper or whether it is cemented or secured thereto in any of the known processes in footwear manufacture. For this purpose, the toe portion of outer sole II is cut to form a slit I6 whereby the upper portion I! is stitchable to welt [3 as by stitching 20 or securable to the upper in any other known manner. The lower portion I8 off slit [6 is provided with a series of openings l9 adjacent the periphery into which are forced and/or cemented a plurality of plugs l9 made of a resistant material such as carborundum, carbide or any other suitable non-wearing material. Slit I6 is adapted to be closed by any suitable means such as cementing [6, such closure taking place either after portion I 1 is stitched to welt I3 or secured to the upper in any other conventional or known manner. The remaining portion of outer sole II is secured either to the welt l3 as by stitching 24 or to the upper in the case of slippers, boots and shoes constructed according to other processes by other means.

The flexibility of the toe portion of outer sole II is not impaired for the reason that plugs l9-do not penetrate the entire thickness of sole H. Moreover, the location of the plugs adjacent the periphery of the toe portion of outer sole II depends upon the wearers walking peculiarities.

For those suffering from weak metatarsal arches, plugs 22 are arranged in the center of outer sole H as shown in Figures 2, 5 and 6. These plugs 22 are forced into punched openings 23 and held there frictionally and/or by cement. It is to be observed that holes 23 preferably extend into the outer sole II to the extent of two-thirds the thickness thereof, and for greatest efiiciency and flexibility the ratio of the diameter of the plug to its height should be as 1:1, or as 1:1 A; according to experimentation. Toe plugs l9 operate with the best results also under the same conditions of penetration and size. This penetration and size of plugs l9 and 22 maintain and assure flexibility oi the toe and central portions of outer sole H. The smallness of the diameter of plugs I9 and 22 are conducive to the prevention of separation between the said plugs and the walls of holes 19' and 23respectively.

In Figure 6, plugs 22' secured within holes 23' are shown as having a ratio of diameter to height as-1:1 whereas in Figure 5 the ratio of diameter to height of plugs 22 is as 11 Figure 8 shows the sole H of a slipper, boot or shoe not provided with resistant plugs at the ball portion of the foot. Depression l4 indicates what happens to the sole of ashoe when the wearer is suffering from a weakened anterior metatarsal arch. The metatarsal bones exert pressure across the sole adjacent the ball of the foot thereby causing differential wear of the outer sole l I. This portion of the solebecoming weaker, yields to the pressure of the metatarsal bones and brings about a depression [4. Where plugs 22 are utilized, the outer sole H at the ball of the foot is worn down at a constant level thereby eliminating the possibility of the formation of depression 14 to aggravate the condition of a weakened metatarsal arch. The heel l2 of the shoe shown in Figure 1 may have a plurality of plugs secured thereto in the-manner as plugs 22. However, as shown, plugs 28 are adapted to be secured in a rubber heel. Plugs 28 do not penetrate the entire depth of the rubber heel for the reason that there Would be no give for the heel in such case. In order that a rubber heel be adapted to the use of resistant plugs, the heel is made of two portions, an upper portion 25 and a lower portion 26 separated by a canvas partition 21. The canvas is molded integrally with portions 25 and 26 of the hubber heel. Openings 28 are also molded from the lower surface of portion 26 to the canvas 21 to frictionally and/or cementitiously engage plugs 28. The heel is also provided with the usual openings 30 to engage pegs to secure the rubber heel to the heel portion of the sole. By such construction, plugs 28 will give with the yieldability of rubber sole portion 25, the canvas 27 preventing plug 28 from penetrating portion 25.

Essentially, the use of wear-resisting plugs applied to slippers, boots and shoes as above described, causes the outer sole and heel to wear down at constant level. Because of the resistance to wear ofiered by the plugs, footwear embodying the invention herein not only will last for the life of the upper without res-cling and reheeling, but will also eliminate the necessity of the use of metatarsal supports in the case of those wearers who suifer from such foot ailments. Moreover, the plug themselves are of a composition which will not damage or injure surfaces exposed to footwear.

I wish it understood that minor changes and variations in the features, material, position and integration of parts of the invention, may all be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention and without departing from the scopeof the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An outer sole for footwearhaving a slitted toe end, the lower portion thereof adjacent the periphery having a plurality of wear-resisting plugssecured therein, the upperportion being adapted to be secured to the toe end of the upper of a slipper, boot or shoe, the slitted toe end being adapted to besecured together after the outer sole is completely securedto the upper of a slipper, boot or shoe, whereby the flexibilityof the toe end of the outer sole is retained.

2. An outer sole for footwear having a slitted toe end, the lower portion thereof adjacent the periphery having a plurality of wear-resisting plugs secured therein, the said plugs being coplanar with the lower surface of said lower portion, the upper portion of said slitted toe end being adapted to be securedto the toe end ofthe upper of a slipper, boot or shoe-theslitted toe end being adapted to be secured together after the outer sole is completely secured to the upper of a slipper, boot or shoe, whereby the flexibility of the toe end of the outer soleis retained.

CHARLES B. HARRIS. 

